Nebelhorn - Germany's hardest climb!
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- Опубликовано: 10 фев 2024
- Sometimes you stumble upon a climb that's so ridiculously steep, so menacingly hard and yet so incredibly beautiful all at the same time that it makes you wonder if it's actually real, or just a bad nightmare. That's exactly what happened at the tail end of summer when exploring the Bavarian Alps in Germany. Up until the start of the trip I didn't even know this climb existed, but after a few attempts I can now tell you (hand on fiercely beating heart) Nebelhorn is like nothing else on the planet with loose and sketchy asphalt at best, wickedly steep gradients above 35% and views that keep you pushing on despite the unfathomable madness of the road itself. Touted as Germany's hardest, it's easily up there with the very hardest climbs in the world and definitely the toughest climb I've ever attempted. What. A. Legend!
Start: Oberstdorf
Length: 9.9 km
Summit: 2,224 m
Elevation Gain: 1,401 m
Average Gradient: 14.2%
Max Gradient: 35%
As I put this video together I was reminded at just what an achievement it was to make it to the summit. The ride itself was an incredible challenge, but the nature of self filming and trying to capture it on my own at each stage made it the journey even more rewarding. The silence and serenity at the summit was pure life in a moment, something that I'll be grateful to have experienced for a long time to come.
While funding for these projects remains a challenge special thanks to Wahoo, Exposure Lights Ultimate components for throwing some pennies into the pot to help make it happen.
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Thank you for watching, until the next time ride safe and keep smiling :)
Mike
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Started the video thinking "oooh that's not too far from where I live, maybe I'll give it a go". A few minutes later "naaaah!". Great job.
Haaa! Lucky to be in such a nice region!!! Plenty of “easier” climbs to enjoy that’s for sure! 👌🏼
@@TheColCollective Yeah, it's great for cycling. Just over the border the Kitzbüheler Horn is rideable on a road bike and is an absolute brute.
Such and amazing area, I really fell in love with the whole place 💚
Bin there 10 times in the last 3 years… but used the cablecars or on ski❤
@@alienaudaxer9827 confirmed!
Mike, so glad you are back and making new videos! I'm with you almost for 10 years. You are consistently inspiring me! :)
Thank you so much for sticking around and your support. Been a wild old ride, happy to be back and making new vids for everyone! 🐮
I don't know if you are responsible for editing your videos or not but man...they are beautiful. Stunningly crafted.....that was 12 and half minutes of epic cinematic joy. If you ever wonder if what you are doing gets across to your viewing audience,,,,,never doubt it it.
Honestly the sheer epicness of your videos blows me away....keep up the good(seems a lame term) work dude!
Thank you soooooooo much. Really, can’t express my appreciation enough towards your words. For this video I filmed and edited everything on my own. The climb itself was absolutely monstrous but what I was most proud about was making my way up step by step and capturing each moment, from static shots to drone, and then trying to sum up the experience in a way that makes it worth watching. Really glad you enjoyed it. Thank you 🙏🏻
If I may add, the music was very well chosen, too - just short of "Interstellar" Soundtrack.
Awwww, thank you again. I spend a disproportionate amount of life searching for the music for these videos. Sometimes it’s really hard to find the right music. So happy when it if ally comes together and even more so when it’s appreciated. Thank you again! 🙏🏻
@@TheColCollective Epic looking ride! So you must've redid a bunch of sections riding up and down to collect your camera?
I never thought I'd see a German climb featured on the channel. This one was certainly special, keep it up!
It came as a real surprise. Was in the area filming Wahoo training videos and a friend on Strava mentioned it was close by so once the seed had been planted I just couldn’t get it out of my slightly warped mind 🤪
Was in the Schwartzwald area some years ago riding road bike. Now thinking if I should check out the Bavarian alps 🙂
Harz also look nice but more MTB-suited I presume?
Sounds like you’ll need another trip back 😅
I love to watch your videos. Awesome to see the south of Germany making an appearance in your videos.
So happy to visit this region! Looking forward to being back again! 🤩
Respect man! What a climb 😮 And great footage as always. Thanks for sharing and inspiring us all 👍
You’re very welcome! Thanks so much for your appreciation 🙏🏻
This is one climb you WILL NOT motivate me to do 😂😂😂😂 I’ll live through you for this one!!!!
Very wise!! Had to take this one for the team! 😅
This deserves ALL the respect! Never seen someone climbing SUCH a steep road! - And of course the video turned out incredibly beautiful with that landscape as well. Thanks for all that effort filming it! Just GREAT!
Thank you so much for your appreciation 🙏🏻
8 years ago you sparked my love into cycling. I must thank you for that. Please keep making these masterpieces of a videos, ir dare i call it small movies. ❤
Thank you so much, really happy and humbled by your message 🙏🏻
Awesome in every way as always. Really appreciate the hard work you put into these videos Mike, long may they continue!
Thanks for your appreciation, it means a lot. Stay tuned, already on to the next one 👌🏼🐮
Bloomin' 'eck Mike! That's the first time I've heard you out of breath in your videos, even though you are still every bit of the mountain goat you were in the beginning! Awesome battle - I think I'll take the cable car!
Ha! Thanks Greg! Cable car is a good alternative! 😅
What crazy climbs! Awesome video, Mike! I love visiting these fantastic locations through your lens… Thanks for creating this!
You’re very welcome! Glad you enjoyed it! 🐮
Always great to see a new upload from you! Thank you!
My pleasure!
Respect to you . . . one helluva climb. Thanks for the ongoing inspiration your efforts provide.
You’re very welcome. Thanks for watching 🙏🏻
So amazing to have you back, Mike - you have been missed! When you layered in the original Col Collective theme music around 10:30 I got the chills - so good!
So happy to be back and glad you’re enjoying. Thanks for your support 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
Massive amount of respect for this!!!
I've been up Nebelhorn on foot and it's a bear of a climb, but I never would give that a go on my mtb. You're not only a top amazing athlete, but have to be slightly insane also!
Just a little bit insane 🤪
So Enjoyable, glad you back we missed you.
Happy to be back Patrick! ☺️
You're a BEAST! Great riding. Very inspiring. I got out of breath just watching you!
Glad you enjoyed it Mark!! 🤙🏼
What an incredible climbing journey Mike!! Chapeau for the herculean effort and stunning filming/editing. As a long time subscriber of Sufferfest / Wahoo, your On Location episodes are the only reason I keep my subscription active. Cant get enough of them so please keep them coming sir 🙌🏻. Bucket list trip is to join you for some Col accents.
Thanks for your long term support! More TCC and Wahoo On Location coming! ☺️🐮
Mike, amazing video! You already brought so many climbs to the average biker, which we wouldn't know otherwise. And seeing an athlete like you suffering like that on Nebelhorn, makes my decision easy to avoid this beast, at least by bike. :) Greetings from Germany!
Hi Christian, thanks for your appreciation! Nebelhorn really was an incredible test. I had two proper goes at it without the cameras, first on the gravel bike and then on the MTB. MTB was much quicker but every time was absolute survival!! Best wishes, Mike 🐮
Mike, you have revolutionised the experience of watching (and participating, via an indoor trainer) in epic climbs all over Europe. I love the videos you've produced for Wahoo. Keep up the great work - and consider a visit to the Northern Rockies sometime soon to work your magic!
Whoaaa! So happy you’re enjoying the Wahoo vids, more to come on SYSTM and on the TCC channel too! Rocky Mountains, no we’re talking! 👌🏼
Wow, glad you’re back, best from Germany!
Thanks for watching!! 🙏🏻
The reaction of the hiker when he saw you climbing up - unpriceable!
A big kudos for mastering this epic climb!
It’s super slippery on that section. In fact you see the hiker almost lose his footing, fortunately they stayed upright!
Way to go bro, kudos to you, it was a real pleasure to watch this video
Thanks for watching! Super happy you enjoyed it!! 👊🏼
Welcome back Mr. Mike and all team, we all. Missed you guys
Missed you too!!! 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
stunning video! Great to see Mike still at it.
🙏🏻🐮🙏🏻🐮🙏🏻🐮
Awesome video. I can imagine the sketchyness of the decent in the dark with brakes screaming. Done a bit of single track in my day and that looks extremely brutal. Nothing beats the feeling of accomplishment when you reach the top!
Absolutely Tommy, descent in the dark was about as sketchy as it gets. Happy and relived when I finally made it back to the Airbnb that night. 😅
Brilliant as always Mike You are a CYBORG :)unbelievable Thank you for sharing
You’re welcome! 🐮
Just discovered your channel mate! (YT recommendation) As a sportsfreak (hybrid athlete, cyclist, extreme sports, Hyrox ) I was immediately exited about it! This Nebelhorn will be one of my goals this year! This area is also a paradise for petrolheads like me!
Absolutely. Already looking forward to another trip back!!
Absolutely amazing Mike, tons of respect. Greetings from Belgium.
Thank you for your appreciation 🙏🏻
Wow same as you ive never heard of that climb. Looks absolutely bonkers, well done for getting up it!!!
I originally thought “how hard can it really be?” Then I found out!! 😂
Super video! Love the outro with the cross at the back, well earned! 👌
Thanks a ton! 🐮
It has to be so hard to get a rhythm in check on that climb with all the factors especially wheel spin.
Great job Mike, it's so good to have the Col Collective back.
Absolutely. It’s a grind, try to recover at any given moment and keep traction. An unbelievable challenge!!!
What a great video, great to see you back too
Thank you kindly! Great to be back 🙌🏼
Thank you Mike you are a great inspiration to all cyclist many thanks for all past videos and new ones to come
Thank you so much for your message, truly appreciated. 🙏🏻
Inspired film Mike, the camera doesn’t always do justice to the steepness of a road, but that looks absolutely bonkers, like Rosedale chimney, but much longer, with added gravel!!
Scalpel’s the perfect weapon for it though, love mine!
"Peace".
Ou nailed it. It is the essence of every moment and any interaction. 👍
Absolutely 🙏🏻
That is insane gradient - I'd be questioning myself too going up that! Very impressive mate.
Thank you Bruce 🙏🏻
I would love to watch the descending also!!!
Great job , very enjoyable video 👏
Glad you enjoyed the video. The decent was very sketchy in the dark!! 😅
@@TheColCollective now i am dying to watch it,🤣.
Maybe next time,who knows!
Fabulous video Mike!
🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
That's just a crazy-stupid climb but what incredible views! Thanks for sharing these adventures again.
You’re welcome! 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
Thank you for reminding me how glorious the mountains are in summer.
You’re very welcome 🙌🏼
Michael Cotty saying "might have to walk" is like hearing Santa say "I might not get the presents delivered this year", or Ricky Gervais saying "I'm not going to offend anyone here". after you get your heart started again, you know he was just kidding, and delivers with panache. Chapeau
😂
Hi Mike ,you are a monster climber . So glad to see you in Germany . You rocking the race hardtail . Best regards from cologne
Did a test on the gravel bike but was grinding an impossibly slow cadence. MTB for the win!! 🏆
I grew up next to the cable car going up the Nebelhorn. Skiing down was already quite tough. Never thought anyone could cylce it up. Amazing job!
What an amazing place to grow up!! I’d struggle to get down on skis that’s for sure!! 😅
Hey, hey,
very great tour up to the Nebelhorn in Oberstdorf; i have going the same way running up that hill some years ago at the „Nebelhorn-Run“.
Through your video I have remember the trac, it was great, thank you 🏃🏻♂️🚴♂️💪🏼,
Jürgen from Germany
Super cool! I was talking to a local that organised the running race up Nebelhorn. Epic mountain!! Wry happy the video brought back good memories to you 🙏🏻
Ooft! That's utterly bonkers. You're a madman, Mr Cotty!
Thank you kindly, I’ll take that as a resounding compliment 🤪
Really Great Job. Respect for this Climb! 👍🤙
Thank you!!!! 🐮
Crikey......my back was in spasms just watching the vid. Chapeau young man !
Thank you for your appreciation!! 🙏🏻
Your camera crew deserves and Academy Award. Absolutely fantastic filming. Of course, you picked probably the best weather for the filming! Well done.
Thanks David. Er, spoiler alert ‼️ I filmed and edited this entirely on my own. Thank you for your positive comment. Truly appreciated 🙏🏻
@@TheColCollective Wow!
🙏🏻
Absolute insanity... Chapeau for that one!
Pure insanity in a mountain! 🤪
Not a MTB rider, but always great to watch your vids. Crack on!
Thanks for your appreciation! MTB was only used ‘cos I needed the tiniest gear possible to stand any chance of making it up this one! 😅
WOW!!!!! I was imagining myself on your bike!!!! AWSOME EFFORT MAN And great image édition..
Glad you enjoyed it 👊🏼
A-freaking-mazing. Well done. Well, well done. I am inspired. Tomorrow when I get to ride my local 4 mile, max 16%, fire road, I’ll still struggle but it will be inspired struggling (in my defense I’m 74 years old so it really is challenging =:). Thanks for the video.
Aaaaaaaamaaaaazing!!! Good luck on your local climb and thank you for your very kind message 🙏🏻😊
Incompatible with life. Chapeau !
😂
Great video Mike 👍🏻😎
Thank you!! 🙏🏻
Amazing. Absolutely amazing. What a climb. Makes Tormalet look like a toy.
For sure! Nebelhorn makes some of the hardest climbs look modeste 😬
35% 👏 nice work, enjoyed the mtb content 👌
Super happy you enjoyed it! First video on the MTB! 💪🏼💪🏼💪🏼
Perfect and brilliant.
Big thank you 🙏🏻
Great job showing steepness on your images, always a challenge 🙌
Totally. Sometimes it’s so disappointing not being able to show the full extent of the gradient. Next up is our Swiss adventure! 🐮💪🏼🇨🇭
@@TheColCollective 🎉⛰🇨🇭
Great video once a again
Glad you enjoyed it 🙏🏻
That looks like a nice rewarding challenge. Onto my bucket list it goes 😁
It’s a huge challenge. Low, low, gears are crucial!!! Good luck!! 💪🏼
Awesome, thanks😊
You're welcome 😊
this came up as a suggestion. Amazing video. 34t front chainring!?! and 20+ % grade. Well done.
Thanks for your appreciation David! Road just kept getting steeper and steeper!! Certainly needed the MTB gearing when it hit 34%!! 😬
i lived up on top of there in the early 90's in the Edmud Probst Haus- used to run down to the town and get the lift back up ! unbelievable scenery , back then I don't think anybody would of dreamed of biking up it !
How cool is that, what great memories you must have? Brilliant region, really surprised me with its beauty and very hard climbing!!!
Insane! I couldn't even walk that 😵💫
Iove your vids Mike 🙏
It’s crazy steep. If you lose traction it’s over, like walking a tight rope. One slip and you’re gone. Saw many walkers slip over coming down too. Never seen anything like it! 😬
That decent looks worse than the climb itself!
Yeah, it was tricky getting down!!
Hi Mike, I appreciate your new video style. Still motivating, but breathing when talking and peddling 300 Watt is more familiar to what I know, just pushing an av. of 150 Watt during the day -:). I train on my wahoo for the ventoux and other rides to come, inspirited by so many of your videos. Like the Bordères, Soulor & Aubisque. Thank you for your work and the love you put into it. Greetings from a neighbor of Oberstdorf. 👋
Thank you so much for your message! So great to hear! Looking forward to bringing more vids out soon 🤞🏼🤞🏼🤞🏼
I HAVE NO WORDS..........RESPECT!
Thank you kindly 🙏🏻
Just awesome!!👏
Thank you! 🙏🏻
Oh nice, that's where I am from :) I walked up there a few times, but never saw someone go up there by bike, respect! Usually, I go there in night time, so I have the peak to myself at sunset, when the cablecar is not running yet. Can get really crowded up there. And most times, I choose another way down, because of the surface: road, gravel... not great to walk on. Once in winter, I got my sled with me and went down with it, before all the skier and snowboarder even had a chance to come up :D
Wow, very lucky to live by such a beautiful mountain! 😍
Nice Lefty, very well done, you didn’t manage to show quite how hard it was though…I suspect there aren’t many rider who can manage that….well done
Gotta start your climbing videos earlier in the day, we'd like to see some descending as well - although I'm pretty sure that it was a cable car ride in this video.
Good job, as always.
Takes a long old time to self film from start to finish. Would probably have to start before dawn to have time for descending too, but I’ve noted your feedback. All cable cars were closed for the night by the time I got to the summit so it was a descent down in the dark 😱
Great bike climb and mountains.
Bavaria blew me away! 🤩
real champ. greeting from bad tölz /bavaria
Thank you kindly! 🙏🏻
Fooking hell man. Well done.
Thanks for your appreciation 🙏🏻
I did the exact same route on foot with my brother in september of last year. We started from oberstdorf at 9:40 in the morning, and we arrived at the summit 4 hours later. 1 hour of that in total was made up of us sitting around catching our breath. Even on foot the steepest sections where you are going up on both gravel and tarmac were difficult to navigate because every time you put your weight on the back foot to step forward it would slip on the rocks. At some points I think we were questioning why we didn't just take the cable car up, but finally standing below the summit cross, taking in the view and knowing that we were one of the few people there who had actually walked up the entire way was oh so worth it :) We thought about walking down again, but with how steep some of those sections were and with the gravel we were sure that we were going to take a bad fall on the way down so we opted to take the cable car, which was 28€ (!) per person, even though we both already got the students discount, which I thought was a very steep price (haha). I think it's an insane idea to try and go up the Nebelhorn with a bicycle and I definitely would've thought it to be impossible if I hadn't seen this video, amazing work!
Thanks for sharing your journey! Big respect!! Very sensible taking the cable car down. I saw many hikers slipping over as they descended, it’s so loose and easy to lose one’s footing. By the time I finished it was dark so I had to navigate the descent by head torch. Was very relived to make it down ok. What an adventure!!!! 😊
Going down is even worse, I would not recommend. Did it twice. Fortunately, there are various beautiful hiking trails to get up there and back down again.
@traumiweber6600 definitely, I went uphill by bike last summer and wanted to go downhill by cable car, but it's not allowed to take a bike within the cable car. It was quite horrifying to constantly having to apply the breaks, but not so strong that the bike gets into slipping over all the loose gravel under the chairlift above the traverse.
In my opinion the section between 1500 and 1932m is more a hiking trail, which can be "rode" on a bike by a "stop-and-go" method.
The most fun is when people look for the route in komoot, komoot lists that section as 100% tarmac. There have been people which showed up at the start of the section with a road or a gravelbike and instantly regretted it, it's impossible to get over the loose gravel with road or gravel tires let alone the gear ratios of road bikes.
@@GatlingJackDEI haven't done this climb, but I love how the people take a look at your crankset to see if you have an ebike and look back up in amazement^^
🤩
Mike, you're always a star, but for once I can say you sounded like me clipping my toe nails!😅
Congrats Mike, well done . . .
😅 Yeah, that was a toughie, just like clipping the nails! 😜
Super epic man 👍😀
Thanks Bob, the hardest yet!!
Bravo!!!!!! Mike
🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
Respect!
Thank you 🙏🏻
Much prefer the cable car and then skiing down it haha. Great effort, I always wondered what it looked like without snow.
Cable car is a fantastic option!!!! 😅
What a climb!
absolutely bonkers but fantastic at the same time Lol
Bonkers at the time, fantastic after. Definitely type 2 fun! 🤩
Amazing. The weather and sun surely added 10% more, right?! 😅
Certainly did! Got pretty intense up there!!!!! 💪🏼
MTB, yes!!!!! ❤️❤️❤️❤️
He’s baaaaaaack! 😃😃😃😃
Was definitely the best bike for the job this time!!!!
What a superb video. It really makes me want to go there. Shame about the disgusting muzak though. What's wrong with the sound of tyre on road/gravel?
Glad you enjoyed the video 😊 What was it you didn’t like about the music? Always good to make note of the feedback for next time. 👌🏼
Hi, I am curious if you notice any sign that indicates motorbikes are not allowed on the road? I am planning to ride until the 'mittelstation' then take the lift. Do you think is that allowed ?
Congrats Mike. If anyone could do it, you could. Not much left to conquer . Thanks.KB
Thanks Ken! The search continues!! 💪🏼
awesome! Did you ride the Grüntenhütte? It's nearby in the Allgäuer Alps and also has some very steep gradients. Daniel Friebe wrote about it in Mountain Higher.
Not this time, but sounds like the perfect reason for another trip!!
@@TheColCollective I did the climb to Grüntenhütte with my roadbike ( 34/28 !! )
Whoaaaaaaa! 😯
holy smokes !!!! what a beast !!!!
Too true! The beast of the beast!! 😂
What an impressive effort and a stunning vid! Thanks for showing this one. I was wondering how you made it back, because night is coming in very fast in the Alps and with the rout it does not look like something you do in the night. Did you stay for the night up there?
Love all the workouts with you at Wahoo System and they always get me, even when I am looking for some relaxing ride, it is hard to resist to go on a ride with you.
Thank you for your appreciation, happy you enjoyed the video! I made it just before sunset, unfortunately there’s no lodging up there and no bikes on the cable car (they were closed anyway). So my only option was to ride back down in the dark, definitely not recommended!!!
Stay tuned for more On Location videos, including a series from Bavaria! ☺️
@@TheColCollective really looking forward to what is coming. Happy you made it back save and sound!
I got up there on my road bike with road tyres, so slowly my garmin didnt even record I was moving ! if your ever over that way the area of saxon switzerland south of Dresden has some stunning climbs shorter but sharp ! and then a ncie flat river cycle track to recover.
Well done and thanks for the tip off on those short sharp Swiss climbs. 🙏🏻
Big congratulations 👏👍
I did it in 2001 til höfatsblick 2100m a.s.l. without pushing the bike online biking. And I felt very bad for one week. It is crazy steep. You cannot bike down. You have to go.
Never pushing the mtb Andi
Huge respect Andi! 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
This would be a fantastic MTB or gravel race venue 🤩
Absolutely, the region is spectacular!
Thought to do it on a gravel bike with front 30/ back 42 gearing. Do you think its possible? Traction will be an issue maybe..
It’s gonna be tough for sure!! Some sections are incredibly slippery with the gravel. Good luck and be safe!!
Thanks!
Thank you so much for your support Wendy 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
Sweet Cannondale Scalpel. Perfect choice.
Definitely the right bike for the job this time!! 🤙🏼
Thanks
Thank you so much for your support! Truly appreciated 🙏🏻🐮
Great effort. Self filming on those gradients? Herculean.
Thank you. Yep, self filming a video like this is super tough, throw in some 35% sections and I really did suffer.
Really epic and inspiring....great rider and nature love.....but how was the downhill?
Thanks for your appreciation! Downhill was tricky to say the least, had to go very cautiously on the steepest sections. They are very loose and in the dark, well everything is more scary right? 😬
@@TheColCollective oh yeah,and that's the whole package... we'vve been on holiday there in 2022 and my son is 12 years old now....he'd love to do that ride this summer. 😀
respect 🤙
Thank you! 🙏🏻